Understanding the cultural context: experiences of auditory vocal hallucinations among patients from different language groups

Schizophrenia affects approximately one in one hundred individuals. Treatment is rarely simple, and the exact biological mechanism is unknown. However, we are beginning to understand that schizophrenia does not manifest in isolation; rather, its manifestation and severity can be impacted by cultural context. Previous work by Luhrmann and colleagues found individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia from the United States, India, and Ghana who experience auditory vocal hallucinations — hearing voices — differently. American individuals often reported voices that gave violent commands; Indian and Ghanaian individuals reported more positive relationships with their voices. The present project extends this research and investigates whether patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in Russia demonstrate similar symptoms or thought processes about their disorder as participants from previously studied countries. This research has yet to be conducted in Russia, and provides an important perspective on the manifestation of a devastating disorder. Furthermore, understanding how Russian culture affects the symptoms of schizophrenia could inform development of culturally appropriate interventions in Russia, with potential to generalize globally. This review aims to explore the existing literature and provide a theoretical basis for the present investigation.